Sigur Rós Iceland Tour 2006.

Unbelievably, its 6 years since Sigur Rós returned to Iceland after a well-received world tour. Wanting to repay something for the kindness and support of their fellow Icelanders, they set about touring Iceland, playing some special venues in Iceland such as abandoned fish factories (Djupavík), scenic canyons and controversial hydropower sites. The tour was filmed and produced as Heima – you should check this out if you haven’t done so already; the direction and photography is utterly inspiring, and you’ll be booking your plane tickets before the film ends.

They also played in Reykjavík, which was attended by 30,000 people and me. This was the allegedly the biggest ever outdoor concert in Iceland, and if you think about it, approx. 10% of the country’s population was there, which is pretty amazing. I travelled across specifically for the concert, and I wasn’t at all disappointed. The concert was free entry, which meant people of all ages were able to come, families with kids on their shoulders and older people with picnic baskets. It also meant that the usual branding and corporate messages were missing, leading to a more relaxed atmosphere. More of a welcome home party than a money-making event, it was truly amazing. Definitely one of my top concerts of all time. My only regret it that I didn’t make it to the other dates.